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CAT'S PAW

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Normal human (WWII era)

Occupation: Mercenary, gang leader

Group Membership: Leader of her gang

Affiliations: Her gang (Cartier, Frank, Hanson, Pug Malone, others), Nazi contact (name unrevealed)

Enemies: Angel (Thomas Halloway), Dr. Lin, J.P. Thomas, other US industrialists

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York City, USA

First Appearance: Marvel Mystery Comics I#18/8 (April, 1941)

Powers/Abilities: The svelte and ruthless woman known as Cat's Paw uses an enlarged cat's paw mounted over each hand; this can shoot a tiny poisoned knife via a hidden trigger. The poison is lethal and can kill an adult in seconds, and she uses this as her only means of murder. She uses a whip as a torture device. She is athletically fit and her costume includes a tail for novelty purposes. Cat's Paw commanded a large gang and had a network of hideouts.

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 125 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed (possibly gray)
Hair: Red

History:

(Marvel Mystery Comics I#20/6 (fb) - BTS) - The woman who came to be known as Cat's Paw was hired by a Nazi to kill American industrialists to undermine the USA's support of the UK against Nazi Germany during WWII. Medical doctor Dr. Lin stumbled across Cat's Paw's operation and rushed to tell his friend, the heroic Angel (Thomas Halloway).

(Marvel Mystery Comics I#18/8) - Hidden, Cat's Paw fired a tiny cat's paw knife that killed Dr. Lin in front of the Angel, which spurred the hero to pursue the killer, but she (out of costume) and her accomplice Frank had fled in a car to their Park Avenue hideout. However, the Angel discovered them and he tied Cat's Paw to a chair, unaware she was the central villain. The Angel followed a clue that took him to another hideout, but Cat's Paw had meanwhile escaped and also arrived. Spotting the Angel, she fired another knife, but missed and disappeared.

(Marvel Mystery Comics I#19/8) - The Angel escaped and brawled with another gang member, who the hidden Cat's Paw killed with a tiny knife before he could reveal any information. Cat's Paw eluded the Angel in a car chase.

(Marvel Mystery Comics I#19/8 (fb) - BTS) - Cat's Paw killed several more senior American industrialists.

(Marvel Mystery Comics I#19/8) - Cat's Paw targeted a masquerade party that hosted other industrialists, but the Angel had already deduced this and stopped her before she could kill steel magnate J.P. Thomas by grabbing her wrist weapon. Cat's Paw was quickly rescued by one of her protective thugs and fled, but was able to kill Thomas before the Angel could stop her. The Angel jumped onto her car as she sped away.

(Marvel Mystery Comics I#20/6) - Cat's Paw's driver knocked away the Angel but he clambered onboard the car's roof unseen. Cat's Paw fled back to her lair in a deserted castle in the mountains, but saw the Angel following; however, the Angel feigned a car crash and Cat's Paw mistakenly thought him dead. Cat's Paw went directly to the torture chamber where she used a whip to torture names of major stockholders in an American aircraft manufacturer out of another industrialist. Watching stealthily nearby, the Angel discerned her plan to create a financial dictatorship by installing her own men to control defense movements and aid to the UK. The Angel jumped in and bound Cat's Paw with her own whip. But her Nazi boss intervened and tried to kill them; Cat's Paw realized her foolishness in dealing with Nazis and pushed the Angel away from the Nazi's aim; the Angel thought she could be redeemed and eliminated the Nazi. Now at a truce, the Angel asked Cat's Paw to leave with him, but she requested privacy in a room to change first. Ever the gentleman, the Angel agreed, but instead she disrobed and burned her costume, then disappeared. Opening the door after waiting too long and seeing the room apparently empty, the Angel surmised she had jumped out the window to a 500-feet drop into quicksand.

Comments: Created by Paul Gustavson.

Seriously? She could've been hiding behind the door! It was her castle, so she could've had a prepped trapdoor or hiding place. She may have appeared again and reinvented herself as a new character. Either way, I think the Angel was naive to so quickly think she escaped by suicide.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Cat's Paw has no known connections to:

images: (without ads)
Marvel Mystery Comics I#20/6, p7, pan3 (main image)
Marvel Mystery Comics I#18/8, p2, pan7 (out of costume)
Marvel Mystery Comics I#19/8, p6, pan8 (headshot with cat's paw weapon)

Appearances:
Marvel Mystery Comics I#18/8 (April, 1941) - Paul Gustavson (writer & artist), Joe Simon (editor)
Marvel Mystery Comics I#19/8 (May, 1941) - Paul Gustavson (writer & artist), Joe Simon (editor)
Marvel Mystery Comics I#20/6 (June, 1941) - Paul Gustavson (writer & artist), Joe Simon (editor)

First posted: 09/05/2026
Last updated: 11/16/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
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